Traditional communication networks (e.g., the Internet) facilitate the search for on-demand services, such as dining, transportation, babysitting, staffing, and so on. For example, a consumer can make a reservation for dinner, request a ride, search for a babysitter, or place an advertisement for help over a global network. Personnel seeking to fulfill a particular consumer request can respond based on the consumer's particular request.
However, conventional on-demand service systems rely on proprietary and/or institutional database systems. For example, a fleet management service (e.g., limousine fleets, Taxi companies, Uber®, and so on) dispatches drivers that are selected from a proprietary database. Stated in another way, conventional on-demand service systems attempt to fulfill consumer requests by selecting providers from a large infrastructure that may not offer a relevant solution for the particular consumer request. These conventional systems fail to account for resources that are readily available, and often more appropriate, to the consumer.
Most consumers have a network of trusted service providers that they would rely on before looking to a larger infrastructure for help. For example, a consumer looking for a ride to the airport can ask a network of friends or a local discounted driver company before calling a Taxi. Unfortunately, conventional on-demand service systems are disjointed from personal resources and often provide results that do not reflect the consumer's personal preferences.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an improved system and method for managing on-demand services in an effort to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of conventional on-demand service systems.
It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are generally represented by like reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout the figures. It also should be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the preferred embodiments. The figures do not illustrate every aspect of the described embodiments and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.